Most dump trucks require some form of hydraulic system to tip the material out of the cargo body. These systems are complex and costly as original equipment, and require sophisticated installation and retrofitting for aftermarket use. Of course, dumping systems are most desirable because the unloading of the material is quickly, effortlessly, and effectively achieved by simply tipping the cargo compartment by means of an appropriate hydraulic system.
There is a need, however, for a cost-effective dump-type system that requires little or no installation, fits a broad range of truck or trailer bodies and beds, and uses both gravity and the inertia from the vehicle itself to tip or dump the material from the truck or trailer to a final destination. Such a system would be most cost-effective for homeowners, landscapers, and others having the occasional need for receiving and transporting material, or for transporting purchased materials to a final work site and then to readily unload those materials by quickly dumping them from the vehicle.
Indeed, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that can convert virtually any truck or trailer into a dump truck at a fraction of the cost of traditional dump load systems, while still providing cost-effective operation.